News Extracts

Technoline Ltd has already recruited a team of professionals to enhance its already existing capacity and will continue to bolster its capacity in the near future.

Technoline Ltd will through its specifically set-up VGH Business Unit, negotiate and interface with all vendors both local and international to achieve the best possible supply chain for the hospital group.

The contract provides for the management of all processes within the Supply Chain, including consultancy, pre-purchase stakeholder engagement, purchasing and asset life-cycle management including in-house maintenance and servicing.

The agreement will see the integration of VGH and Technoline Ltd in a synergy aimed at introducing the best possible technology solutions and platforms in VGH’s mission to achieve value based healthcare across all of its present and future healthcare operations. The agreement will seek to assist in making quality healthcare accessible to all patient segments wherever VGH is present.

VGH and Technoline Ltd are proud to announce that they have signed an exclusive contract whereby Technoline Ltd will manage the Supply Chain processes of all VGH life-sciences entities in all geographies internationally.

Technoline Ltd, local representatives for Shimadzu Europa GmbH organized a 1-day Training Seminar on 20th April 2017, at the Intercontinental Hotel, St Julians. During the event the LC2030 HPLC was showcased with a hands-on session on the equipment together with a presentation on the LabSolutions CDS software. Guest Speakers from Shimadzu Europa GmbH included, Dr. Gesa J. Schad, Product Manager HPLC and Dr. Carsten Wittekindt, Software Specialist – Informatics, who delivered the lectures. Delegates hailed from the Pharmaceutical, Food, Petrochemical, Environmental and Research Industries. This opportunity served to update Technoline’s Chromatography clients on the latest Shimadzu releases and technologies and also served to provide practical advice and replies to the several situations of the Chromatography Analyst and Lab Practitioner.

The event was part of Technoline’s commitment and support to the needs of the local analytical laboratory industry and scientific community.

The 6th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Department of Orthopaedics, Trauma and Sports Medicine, in collaboration with the Association of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgeons of Malta was held on Saturday 27th May, 2017 at the Salini Resort, Salina Bay.

Present were Post Graduate Training Co-ordinator Mr. Joseph N. Borg, with Mr. Thomas Azzopardi and Dr. Michael Buttigieg as judges. The various orthopaedic surgeons who attended had an opportunity to listen to the various high quality presentations by Higher and Basic level Specialist trainees, and other health care professionals on a variety of related topics.

A prize trophy was given to the winner together with a full year subscription for an International Orthopaedic Surgeon Journal.

Prof. Everaldo Attard and Mr Adrian Bugeja Douglas from the University of Malta have recently published a chapter in a book about Maltese Honey. Honey Analysis has 15 chapters divided into two sections: one section that is dedicated to the analysis of bioactive, physicochemical, and microbiological compounds and another that addresses techniques for the detection of residues and heavy metals. The book was complied with chapters by authors from nine countries (Brazil, Chile, Italy, Malta, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Serbia, and Turkey) and at least three continents (South America, Europe, and Oceania). The topics discussed here are physical-chemical analysis of honey, new methods for amino acid analysis, chemical residues, heavy metals, phenolic content and bioactive components, microbiological analysis, antimicrobial activity, and honey as functional food. Also there are notions of trade and characterization of honey in these countries, presenting the reality of the local market of these countries and their perspectives so that we can know more about the techniques used as well as the importance of this activity for each country. This may facilitate the use of innovative techniques that may enable increased competitiveness and the world honey trade.

Chapter Abstract

Physicochemical Characterization of Maltese Honey

Abstract

The Maltese Islands are renowned for the production of genuine honey from different floral sources depending on the season and the location of the apiary. Honey samples were collected directly from local beekeepers over a period of 4 years. Each sample was coded and the details provided by the beekeepers were recorded. A total of 259 samples were collected. The distribution of the apiaries was also considered for the three honey seasons: spring, summer and autumn. All samples were tested for the parameters according to the EU Directive on Honey (2001/110/EC) and the Harmonised Methods of the International Honey Commission (2009). The samples were analysed for consistency (by appearance), moisture content and Brix (by refractometry), colour index, diastase, proline and hydroxymethylfurfural (by spectrophotometry), pH and electrical conductivity (by pH/conductivity meters), salinity (chloride meter), free acidity (by titrimetry), polyphenols (by the Folin-Ciocalteu test), sugar content (high performance liquid chromatography), antioxidant activity (by DPPH and FRAP) and antimicrobial activity. The Maltese honey can be classified into three seasons with distinctive physicochemical characteristics. Honey originating from particular season showed significantly different values for specific parameters. Typically, high sucrose content is found in spring honey and a high conductivity in autumn honey.

On 31st March 2017, MHSA students took part in the MDRA for Charity event, at the Malta Drag Racing Raceway in Hal-Far, in aid of Puttinu Cares. The MHSA set up a stand during the event and offered free health checks including glucose monitoring tests which were sponsored by Technoline Ltd

The event was well attended by members of the public who together with Motorsport clubs in Malta enjoyed a fun-filled day. Proceeds collected during this event were in aid of Puttinu Cares.

The Puttinu Cares Cancer Support Group was set up in 2002 and began from an idea and a desire to offer a holistic approach of care for families with children suffering from cancer.